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Friday, December 31, 2010

I'm finishing out the year feeling very under the weather. I have not been sick all fall & winter, but it seems despite my daily vitamin and Emergen-C, I officially have a miserable cold. Boo! Being sick definitely makes me appreciate my normal good health!

As I reflect on 2010, here are a few of my favorite memories & happenings:

Overall, it's been a good year, although somewhat uneventful (besides the big move). I'm very much looking forward to 2011. I remember in 2005, I said Ifelt like it was going to be a big year, and well, I ened up getting engaged, married in Jamaica, getting a counseling position, and buying our first home all while attending graduate school. It was quite the year--to say the least. I have that same sort of feeling about 2011. I don't think these typse of huge life changes are going to occur, but I do feel like it's going to be a very good year with some exciting changes!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Three holiday celebrations down, and only two more to go. Tonight we are going to an ugly Christmas Sweater party (first one I've ever been too--and it should be fun!) & Saturday night is our final Christmas celebration with my Mom's dad and his wife. Throughout the festivities, we took many photos with our Nikon D60. We bought this camera earlier in the year, but hadn't used it very much. After all the photos we've taken and printed lately, I am very, very pleased with it. (I don't know much about photography, and the photos this camera takes, makes me look like I do!)

Today I took down all our Christmas decorations. While I think having them up makes the house feel cozy & festive, after the holiday, I always look forward to taking them down. Partly, to have it checked off my list of things to do and partly because I appreciate the spaciousness that I feel after everything is down and put away. I've found this is the perfect time to clean up, organize and create space in my life for all the great things to come in the New Year!

Sunday, December 26, 2010

As always, Santa & family & friends were very good to me this year. (I guess I must have been a good girl, huh?) Here are a few of my favorite holiday gifts:

I got this book in the mail a few weeks ago and it made. my. day! Besides the fact I love getting snail mail, (really, what can be better than a snail mail gift?), I've had this book on my list of books I wanted to read for a while now--ever since I heard a podcast interview with the author. Thanks so much to my sweet friend Dana. (She is tHe BEsT snail mail gift giver!). Truly, it is a perfect gift, and I am looking forward to reading it in the New Year!

Just watched this & I enjoyed it just as much, if not more, than the first time around in the theater. Just adore the clothes, beauty & all-things sparkly!Speaking of sparkle, I am loving this perfume. One of it's top notes is raspberry, and while I used to not really like berry smells, lately I have found myself loving them. I plan on pairing this with Bath & Body Works Snow Kissed Berry lotion scent. Yummy!

And, yes, another one (as you already know, I love all things that smell yummy), and I do believe this may be my newest all-time favorite scent. It's very different than my other perfumes, but I love it. I'm not sure of all the notes, but I definitely smell a hint of orange blossom when I wear it. This one may just become my 2011 signature scent! Thanks to Jennifer at Sophora for recommending it.

And last, but not least, my lashstash kit. To me, putting on make-up is a creative expression. I enjoy doing it--choosing the colors, blending, contouring, highlighting. It's art I get to do every day, & I have always enjoyed it. I have also been on the hunt for my favorite mascara, so when I saw this at Sephora the other day for $38, I almost bought it; however, I talked myself out of it. So glad I did because when I went there today with my Christmas gift card, it was on sale for $24.00. Can't wait to try it out!

So, these were my favorite gifts. I do admit I enjoy all things style & beauty. Some critics out there might say it isn't very "yogic" of me, but I am a yogini who loves a good perfume & mascara...that's just me, no apologies...

I hope you had a wonderfully beautiful & sparkly holiday, too. Would love to hear what some of your favorite gifts were.

Saturday, December 18, 2010

I've spent my morning making home-made stamped gift cards and wrapping a few gifts. This is the first year I've made gift cards, and I'm very happy with how they turned out. I simply used fancy scissors to cut the silver paper I had. I used green, blue, and bronze ink for the stamps. I punched a single hole in the top, tied ribbon through it, and finished off by adding a sparkly sticker gem. Voila! Quick, easy, and personal. Last night my sweet husband and I and another friend couple went on a Starbuck's run and Christmas light gazing trip. I must admit, the lights around town were somewhat of a let-down (I swear the small town I grew up in--with population 2,000--has some of the best. lights. ever.), but the magic tree was truly magical!

Tonight we're off to my Sweet Momma's holiday party. Looking forward to the festivities! Hope you have a bright & sparkly weekend, too.

Friday, December 10, 2010

Seane Corn is one of my all time favorite women and role-models. I adore her authenticity & inner and outer beauty. She radiates light and love--truly. One of my goals is to attend a yoga workshop with her some day--hopefully soon! I would love to have the opportunity to be in the same space with her and learn from her. I recently listened to a podcast of her being interviewed which I found fascinating. It was a part of the Sounds True podcast that I downloaded from itunes. I highly recommend it, if you get the chance. In this interview Seane mentioned a book called Eastern Body, Western Mind. I immediately looked it up on Amazon, and I knew this was going to be my next read. It's a book after my own heart combining yogic philosophy, spirituality, and psychology. I got the book in the mail today and immediately started reading it. For those of you interested, here's the description of the book from the back cover:

"In this groundbreaking book, Anodea Judith brings a fresh approach to the yoga-based Eastern chakra system, placing it within the framework of Western thought. Exploring the chakras through Jungian psychology, somatic therapy, childhood developmental theory, and metaphysics, she creates an elegant and practical system for healing energy imablances and taking control of your mental and physical health.

Each chapter focuses on a single chakra, starting with a description of its characteristics and identity issues. Judith then examine that chakra's particular developmental patterns, its traumas and abuses, and how to keep it in balance. The unique combination of Eastern and Western theories elucidates the spiritual nature of personality development and how it fits within the structural logic of the body.

Seamlessly blending psychology and spirituality, Eastern Body, Western Mind creates a compelling interpretation of the chakra system and its relevance for Westerners today."

Love this! I look forward to sharing many insights from this book with you!

Hope you have a wonderful weekend. I'm off to a night of knitting with the girls.

Friday, December 3, 2010

I just began reading the book The 12 Secrets of Highly Creative Women by Gail McMeekin. I have had this book on my reading list for a while, and when I saw it as a bargain priced book at Barnes & Noble, I couldn't resist buying it. As I read, I am once again reminded that we are born creative. It doesn't matter if you don't paint or draw, you are still an artist with a creative spirit! Sometimes we can become very disconnected to our creative side by the busy-ness and noise of every day life. This is why it is so important to take opportunities to get still (yay yoga!) and plan inspiration dates. Find the time to reconnect with your creative side! What inspires you? What gets you excited? What are you drawn to do? What would you do, if you had all the time in the world?

One of my favorite ways to be creative is through decorating. Since we are in a new house this Christmas, I've added a few new color schemes and decorations, but I was able to use most of our older decs in bedrooms and the study. Christmas decorations just make the house cozy and warm...

This is a little vintage looking tree in our study. I love it. The photo doesn't do it justice at all. Raspberry is one of my favorite colors!

I'm loving using the center of our square table as a display for decorations. I bought a bunch of small silver and gold candle holders from Michael's for $2.00 each, put out some ball ornaments randomly, filled two vases I had with ornaments, and put 4 snowflakes (I got at Hobby Lobby a few years ago)in the center on a round mirror I had.This is a little raspberry tree I've had for a few years.

This is a candle stick I bought at Marshall's this year. I actually got two of them, and I am absolutely in love. I will be leaving these out all year round!

Peace

Thought these initial ornaments were fun. Found them at Kohl's last year.

The tree...I've always loved white trees. I orginally started with a gold, silver, and bronze color theme, but decided I needed more color, so I added in a silvery blue and green apple. I'm pleased with the final result.

Peacock blue is also beautiful, in my opinion!

This is the entry way to our home. Thanks to my momma for helping me with this arrangement!

I got this wreath years ago at Macy's, and I love it. Fun green feathers? What's not to love? It used to have a raspberry ball in it, but I wanted it in the living room, so I switched out the ball for a blue one.

Another shot of the table and tree in the evening.

"We need to remember we are all created creative and can invent new scenarios as frequently as they are needed." --May Angelou

Thursday, December 2, 2010

Last night I did yoga by the fire (I highly recommend this--if you have a fireplace!). I had my Christmas lights on, the fireplace going, and the rest of the lights low. It was a very cozy practice! I actually used a recording of a class I taught January 2010. It's interesting doing yoga to your own voice. For beginner instructors as well as those who are more seasoned, I highly recommend recording yourself occasionally. It can be a good opportunity to learn and grow. Throughout my years instructing, I also found it helpful to give surveys to my clients every year or so. It was always a quick, easy, and anonymous survey, but the feedback was really valuable. Use the more critical feedback in constructive ways (as hard as it can be, try not to let ego get involved), and then throw them away. I think saving really positive surveys is a good idea, though. If you are having a down day, or questioning yourself, pull out those positive surveys to give yourself a shot of confidence! You can also include them in your yoga instructor portfolio to show future employers. Just a few tips I have found helpful!

Create your life & SAVOR it!

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"In the beginning you have to make room for yoga in your daily life, and give it the place it deserves. But after some time, yoga itself will pull you up by the hair and make you do it."--Vanda Scaravelli

My Go Green Sangha Radio Interview on Yoga & Creativity

Thoughts on Yoga

"There is no greater safeguard in yoga than sensitive, honest awareness. To push yourself beyond your limits will reduce and not expand them. Rather, bring yourslf gently to your current limit and stay there awhile: then your limits will naturally and easily expand."--Godfrey Devereux

"The resolute in yoga surrender results, and gain perfect peace. The irresolute, attached to results, are bound by everything they do."--Bhagavad Gita, trans. by Stephen Mitchell

"Nothing in the world can purify as powerfully as wisdom; practiced in yoga, you will find the wisdom within yourself."--Bhagavad Gita, trans. by Stephen Mitchell